8th Grade Poetry interpretations....

Orin Sommer

September 23, 2013

Writing

Theme: Your past can haunt you, even when your life changes for the better.  It suggests that you can never fully forget a significant event in your life, especially painful events. The poem is painful to read, and reminds us that one heartache can lead us to a great deal of misery. It only takes a small influence of the devil, to ruin happiness, and we never forget that feeling.

Evidence: When this poem is interpreted, it suggests this man lived a terrible childhood. In the first half of the poem, he was all alone, and he didn’t have any friends. Eventually, he grew up. His childhood is now behind him. In the second half, he lives in a beautiful and happy place mentally.  A place that holds every positive feeling which enhances the mind. The arrangement of the stunning mountains, flowing rivers, blossoming flowers, and the elegant sunsets. Even the sky is beautiful, but the dark cloud in the sky, or his memories, form into the shape of a demon, which represents the traumatic events in his earlier life. It created a hole in his heart, one that can not be filled. This affected him greatly, and cost him his happiness.

Alone

From childhood's hour I have not been - I was different in my early years
As others were; I have not seen - I didn’t experience the normal thingsAs others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring. - Didn’t have the same feelings
From the same source I have not taken - I had a different type of sadness
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone; - I had a different type of happiness
And all I loved, I loved alone. - Whoever I loved, they didn’t love meThen- in my childhood, in the dawn - At the end of my youth
Of a most stormy life- was drawn - The end of a difficult time
From every depth of good and ill - Best of the best, the worst of the worstThe mystery which binds me still: - I don’t know why this is happening
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by, - All of the beautiful things in the worldFrom the thunder and the storm, - In all of my life
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue) - Everything as a whole, was goodOf a demon in my view. - But my childhood still haunts me

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Fearghus Keitz

9/28/13

Writing

Canis Major

by, Robert Frost

1.)  I think the theme is Canis Major, the star constellation,  and how it is magnificent or of great power. It is like a God in the sky unreachable at the time, while we simply watch it go by. Higher and more powerful than we are, with dreams of becoming it’s equal.

2.)   I came to my conclusion first, because of the title and how Robert Frost is speaking of the constellation Canis Major. I also believe this because of the other clues coming together with the poetic explanation of the constellation. The writer intends to show beauty in space and the stars by writing this, because he writes of how it dances and how it is magnificent. He speaks of it’s beauty and strength.  He lastly speaks of how he is lesser than that of the romping Canis Major which also helps me understand that it is supposed to be of great power.

Canis Major

by Robert Frost

The great Overdog            The alpha in the sky

That heavenly beast     It is like a beast, or strong animal, in the heavens being the sky    

                                  and space.

With a star in one eye The stars in the constellation include one at the eye of Canis    

Major.

Gives a leap in the east. It starts in the east because  the sun rises in the east and the moon He dances upright              does too, the earth spins one way so that most things in space             

All the way to the west start in the east and travel west.

And never once drops             This is to show that it might never need to stop and rest, it stays in

On his forefeet to rest.              the  sky whilst keeping pace.

I'm a poor underdog,     He is simply human, with less than great power

But to-night I will bark He will be able to see it that night, and experience it’s power

With the great Overdog

That romps through the dark. It travels through the dark skies of night time.

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Chloe Overlie

September 23, 2013

Writing

Theme:

The theme of this poem is about how humans hide their true emotions.  We never really know how another person is truly feeling because it is easy to hide it behind a simple smile. We do this because we are scared to show how we really feel. Most people are afraid to show their real emotions because they are embarrassed, or don’t want to admit that it’s true. Someone maybe terrified to lose their home and want to keep it private. Or even when it’s just a heartbreak, they may be embarrassed to show they are hurt by losing the one they love.

Evidence:

In this poem it talks about us hiding our true emotions, it says, “We wear a mask that grins and lies.” This means that we hide behind a smile and act like everything is okay, like I mentioned in the theme paragraph. “It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” the poem also says this. That means that we use our facial expressions to lie about how we feel, thats what this figurative mask means.

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

Our facial expressions hide our true emotions.

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--

It covers the features of your face that shows your true emotions.

This debt we pay to human guile;

What we have to do when we lie or mislead others.

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

Even when we are hurt we smile through the pain.

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Don’t bring attention to yourself.

Why should the world be overwise,

Earth shouldn’t be different?

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Maybe looking back and remembering tragedies that have happened or maybe to regret.

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

^^these two connect^^ They don’t show their true emotions around anyone.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

^^these two connect also^^ These tormented souls cry up to God hoping for the help they so desperately need.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

They try to be okay, but they are on unstable ground.

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

They have a long way to go, or it may not be long but it feels really long.

But let the world dream otherwise,

let others think differently

We wear the mask!

We show different emotions that are not true.

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Hunter Drost

9/24/13

Writing

Theme;

If you want something or seek something go after it. Even if it seems impossible just do it and never give up. Dream big, no matter how crazy or impossible it may seem. Just like in this poem the knight in shining armor went after his crazy magical dream to find the golden treasure city, Eldorado. He didn’t give up, even when he was sprawled on the ground ready to give in to mother nature. Never give up, never quit, always push through. Persevere and the best will come to you.

Evidence:

Multiple lines that support this claim include lines four and six support the main theme, by inferring he had gone on a long, tiring journey and saying he had been searching for a place called Eldorado. Eldorado is the crazy dream that the knight went after and pushed himself both physically and mentally to find it. Line seven indicates that he became old but he continued to search for his dream and persevered. During his Journey he met a dark shadow who told him to keep looking, if you seek Eldorado. This occurred in lines fourteen through twenty-two. He went after his dream and persevered, still in search of Eldorado and in search of his dream. Shoot for the stars, always seek a challenge. Everything good to have is hard to get. The hardest way is always the best way, hard work always pays off in the end.

Eldorado

Gaily bedight, Showily adorned,

A gallant knight, A brave, spirited knight,

In sunshine and in shadow, No matter what,

Had journeyed long, Had journeyed long and far,

Singing a song, Singing a song,

In search of Eldorado. As he looked for Eldorado.

But he grew old- But he became old-

This knight so bold- This knight so confident-

And o'er his heart a shadow And over his heart a shadow (He was sad)

Fell as he found He collapsed but didn’t find Eldorado

No spot of ground

That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength After a long journey his strength slipped away

Failed him at length,

He met a pilgrim shadow- He met a shadow or another searcher of Eldorado

"Shadow," said he, “Shadow,” he said,

"Where can it be- “Where can it be-

This land of Eldorado?" This land of Eldorado?”

"Over the Mountains “Over the mountains

Of the Moon, Of the Moon,

Down the Valley of the Shadow, Through the valley of the lost,

Ride, boldly ride," Go, Bravely go,”

The shade replied- The Searcher replied-

"If you seek for Eldorado!" ‘’If you want to find Eldorado!’

Edgar Allan Poe

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Garrett Mcknight

9/19/13

Writing

Because I could not stop for Death

Theme: The main theme of this poem is purgatory. Purgatory is a state between hell and heaven, where people are forgiven of their sins by suffering. This poem is of a person’s experience in purgatory.

Evidence:  The evidence I found that supports my idea of the main theme was that the carriage they were in was headed on a path that went on forever. Centuries went by, but it only seems like a day. She experienced some of her memories to remind her of her sins so she knew what she did wrong. In the start of the poem, it says that immortality joined them on the carriage ride. Immortality was there because she was staying on the carriage forever. She was never going to get to heaven or hell, she was on that ride forever.

Because I could not stop for Death-- 

Poem by: Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death-- I could not die because i have too much to do

He kindly stopped for me-- Death was waiting for me

The Carriage held but just Ourselves-- The carriage was for her and Death

And Immortality. The carriage had immortality on it so she could stay on forever

We slowly drove--He knew no haste She was dying slowly and Death was in no hurry

And I had put away She got rid of or gave up

My labor and my leisure too, All her hard work and her luxurious

For His Civility-- Out of consideration for death
We passed the School, where Children strove They went by a elementary with kids playing

At Recess--in the Ring-- Kids were playing outside and the bell rang

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain-- They went by a farmland of crops

We passed the Setting Sun-- They went by  a sunset

Or rather--He passed us--   The sun moved across the sky

The Dews drew quivering and chill-- Morning dew that is cold/ late afternoon sunset

For only Gossamer, my Gown-- Light  wedding gown that is freezing cold

My Tippet--only Tulle-- Almost nothing to keep her warm

We paused before a House that seemed They stopped in front of a house

A Swelling of the Ground-- The house looked like part of ground

The Roof was scarcely visible-- The roof was buried into the ground

The Cornice--in the Ground--   The ceiling was at ground level

Since then--'tis Centuries--and yet Centuries passed by

Feels shorter than the Day It felt like it was shorter than a day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads The horses were headed in a specific direction

Were toward Eternity-- They were going to stay on forever